“The town halls and the feedback that we get from members have really helped us accelerate what we need to prioritize, because it’s coming straight from who we’re serving.”
That’s Yara Elbeshbishi, Senior Business Consultant at CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield Community Health Plan of Maryland, highlighting a fundamental truth in managed care: you cannot effectively lead a health plan from behind a desk. To move the needle, you have to listen to the people in the room.
For CareFirst, these town halls serve a dual purpose. Regulators expect plans to meaningfully incorporate member sentiment, ensuring that members’ perspectives and voices are actively heard. They also view strong member participation in these forums as a clear positive indicator. By partnering with Wider Circle, CareFirst has significantly increased engagement in these meetings—going beyond a basic compliance mindset. Rather than treating town halls as a check-the-box requirement, CareFirst has transformed them into a dynamic platform for connection, feedback, and member advocacy.
“And that not only has created that trust and engagement, but it’s allowed our members to see that we are there for them, right?” Yara notes. “We would not exist without them.”
The Challenge of a Shifting Landscape
Medicaid plans today are navigating a perfect storm. Between the regulatory shifts under HR1 and the ongoing complexities of eligibility redeterminations, the stakes for member retention have never been higher. Yet, many plans still struggle with the most basic hurdle: building enough trust to get a member to pick up the phone.
In a rapidly evolving policy environment, a “business as usual” approach to outreach doesn’t just fall short—it risks leaving the most vulnerable members behind.
Moving Beyond the Transactional
Addressing Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) and ensuring continuity of care requires more than just sending out mailers. It requires a presence in the community.
During a recent webinar, leaders from CareFirst and Wider Circle explored how shifting from clinical-only outreach to peer-based engagement is changing the game. By utilizing community advisory boards and member town halls, CareFirst isn’t just pushing information out; they are pulling critical insights in.
Peer Power and Community Infrastructure
William Friedman, VP of Payer Engagement at Wider Circle, and Melissa Gallagher, VP of Account Management, emphasized that the moving force is often found in the members themselves.
When plans leverage peer engagement programs, they tap into existing social networks. A member may be skeptical of a call from an insurance company, but they will listen to a neighbor. This community-based infrastructure turns a confusing list of benefits into a shared resource that members actually know how to use.
Measurable Impact on Retention and Care
The results of this boots-on-the-ground strategy are tangible. By prioritizing member feedback, CareFirst is able to:
- Accelerate Priorities: Identifying and fixing member pain points in real-time based on town hall feedback.
- Support Retention: Helping members navigate the redetermination process through trusted community channels.
- Bridge Care Gaps: Connecting diverse populations to specific resources—like food, housing, and preventive screenings—that traditional outreach often misses.
The Bottom Line
In a policy landscape that is constantly shifting, the most stable asset a health plan has is the trust of its members. As CareFirst has demonstrated, when you give members a seat at the table, they don’t just give you feedback—they give you the roadmap to better outcomes.
Watch the full conversation here:
About the author: Jamie Zale
Wider Circle
